


Actions Speak Louder

by Entwinedlove



Series: Of Might and Magic [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Patient Waking up from Coma, mentions an accident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 08:43:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16036943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entwinedlove/pseuds/Entwinedlove
Summary: Hermione wakes up in hospital. Her SHIELD partner Bucky Barnes is there to tell her what's what. He might be telling her something else too. In his way.





	Actions Speak Louder

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Fairest of the Rare facebook group  
> SSS Lesson 1 - Throwing Light in Dialogue
> 
> [ ](https://i.imgur.com/G8kW6M6.jpg)

Hermione blinked awake, slow to identify the drop-in ceiling above her. Industrial, with dimmed lights. Hospital? She glanced around the room. She wasn't hooked up to machines or anything but she was definitely in a hospital bed. The stiff sheets and light blanket covering her lap gave it away.

To her right was a man napping in a chair. At first, she didn't recognise him, the long brown hair that dangled around his face covered his identity but the shine of metal peeking out between shirt sleeve and glove gave away who it was. Agent Bucky Barnes. He'd been her partner at SHIELD since day one.

She tried to say his name but it didn't come out, her throat was horribly dry. She coughed to try and clear it. He jerked awake and blinked at her. The smile on his face seemed bittersweet for a moment before it turned blinding. "You're awake!" It sounded more enthusiastic than the statement should have been. "Christ, doll, I'm so glad you're awake." He stood and leaned over her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. The action confused her. He'd never done that before. He turned and went to the door, calling out to a passing nurse. He returned and sat back down. "The nurse'll come check you out, make sure everything's okay."

She was still a little confused but her saliva helped wet her mouth enough to talk. "Did you take a Hair-Growth Potion?"

He shook his head and his smile started to slip. "You got hit pretty hard on our last mission, Hermione. They took you through surgery, put you in a medically induced coma to let you heal. Took you out of it... and you just... never woke up. It's... it's been a while."

"What?" She remembered the mission. Remembered the yellow pollen coating their black car and the way that Enhanced had thrown her back into it, the metal screeching and bending with the impact. "Did you at least get the guy?"

His left fist clenched and she could hear the plates in his arm shift. "Yeah. He won't be hurting anyone ever again."

"Barnes, we were supposed to bring him in alive!"

He shrugged. "You got hurt; I had to get you to a hospital."

She made a face, still having a hard time believing she'd been in a coma. His normally short-cropped hair was brushing his chin; he hadn't worn it that way in years. She glanced towards the window. She couldn't make out much except the tops of a few trees but every single branch was bare of leaves. Either the trees were dead or it wasn't spring any more. "What day is it?"

"January 17, 2019."

"2019?" Bile lodged in her throat. Their mission had been in April of 2017. She blinked and tears rushed into her eyes, slipping down her cheeks unasked for. "My life... what..." she'd had a boyfriend, had had plans for a date later that month... but if Barnes was here instead... "What happened with Curtis?"

He looked down at his hands and pursed his lips. "He stuck around for a few months but when you didn't wake up after surgery he said he couldn't deal. You'd only been dating him for a few months, though, right? It wasn't like you were going to be marrying the guy."

Well, no, she hadn't planned that far ahead. Either way, she felt robbed. She wiped away her tears and sighed. She'd lost almost two years. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you have been assigned a new SHIELD partner or something?"

He shook his head. "They wanted to. I said no. Got out. Wasn't going to leave my best girl, you know?"

"You've been here this whole time?"

He shrugged again. "They make me leave every few days to sleep and shower. I'm not the only one. There's a guy who's been on the ward waiting on his wife for fourteen years now." They were quiet for a moment and while she thought about that—thought about how he'd barely left her side in two years—he watched her. "How many times have I asked you to call me Bucky?" he asked, mirth returning to his features.

She rolled her eyes, feeling relief at the familiar tease. She wasn't sure she was ready to contemplate why he'd stayed with her while she'd been in a coma. Or stayed so long. "Fine... Bucky," she paused long enough to see a smile bloom on his lips, "Do you think there's some way to get some water? And maybe some food?"

"Sure, doll. I'll go see what I can get for you." He reached over and squeezed her hand once before he got up and left the room.

Hermione blinked as she stared down at her blanket, thinking about everything he'd said.

And everything he hadn't.


End file.
